Growing Distant
by Emme2589
Summary: What would happen if WALL-E and EVE grew apart from each other?
1. Chapter 1

"Hey, Wil!"

Willow smiled, "V-Gr! Hi!"

V-GR strode over to her excitedly, "I had the day off today! You wanna head down to the gulf?"

"Oh yeah!" Willow headed to her home, "Just let me grab my skateboard, okay?"

Willow and V-GR's favorite hangout was the gulf where ocean water was beginning to fill, creating an odd rapid effect. V-GR had given her a sleek red skateboard for her birthday, and it was Willow's most treasured possession. She used it to go everywhere, even though she was actually faster on foot.

"Dad?" Willow peeked inside the truck, "Have you seen my skateboard?"

WALL-E flinched, a wrench falling on his head and pushing his head into his body.

"Dad!"

"Stand back!" WALL-E seemed nervous as his head popped back out, "Uh, I have no idea where your skateboard is. I don't think it's here."

Willow glared, "Dad. That shelf is empty."

"Is it? Well, uh..." he rapped his knuckles together, "That's because I moved everything to the storehouse."

"No you didn't. My shelf has more shiny silver on one side, I can tell you just spun the shelf. And besides, why would you move my things?"

WALL-E froze.

"Dad. If you threw out my skateboard, I swear, I'll..." she trailed off when she saw the ceiling. The top shelf was sandwiching a bunch of junk just under the roof.

WALL-E bumped the shelf on accident, causing the whole stash to tumble down.

"Willow!" V-GR shielded her from the onslaught of miscellaneous things while WALL-E took the blow head-on.

"Dad!" Willow fished him out of the pile.

"Ow..." his now-broken eye dangled from a thread.

"V-Gr, do you see any of his parts?" Willow asked.

"Um..." V-GR looked over the things, "...riiight...here!"

"Thanks." Willow swiftly replaced the eye.

"Ugh..." WALL-E stood up again, readjusting his optics.

"Oh, here it is." V-GR lifted the skateboard from the things.

Willow stared her father down while he boxed himself slowly.

"Dad, why aren't these things in the storehouse?"

"Um..." he backed away, "It's full..."

"You're kidding me, right?" Willow took the skateboard from V-GR, "Why don't you get rid of some of these things?"

"I can't! They're all important!"

"All of them?" V-GR bent down to grab a blue fleece blanket, "What about this?"

"Aya gave that to us the day Willow was born." WALL-E explained, "It was a great comfort to Eve while she recovered."

"And this?" V-GR grabbed a key chain.

"That's from Nos. He was going to throw it away but gave it to me instead."

"Is this important too?" V-GR opened an engagement ring box with nothing in it.

"I picked that up the day I met Eve. It proved to be useful later."

"Dad, you really feel the need to keep everything?" Willow asked incredulously.

WALL-E hid his head in his body.

"Whatever. Let's go, V-Gr." Willow rolled down the ramp, "You'd better figure out what to do with all of this before Mom gets home."

WALL-E shivered in despair.

V-GR looked back as he walked with his girlfriend, "Do you really think we should just leave him here?"

"I donno." Willow replied, "He's always been a collector, but I don't understand how it got this bad."

"When did he start collecting things?"

"Well, he told me his tape of Hello, Dolly! was the first thing that caught his eye, about forty years before he met my mom, which was almost a hundred years ago...so..."

"Jeez, that's a long time." V-GR said, "No wonder he's got so much stuff."

"Yeah...well..." Willow watched WALL-E fret over his things, "He'll figure something out...hopefully..."

* * *

"WOOOOO!" Willow landed on all four wheels of her skateboard, grinding to a halt in the dirt.

"Wait up!" V-GR laughed as he stopped next to her on his roller blades, "You go so fast!"

V-GR rolled over a rock and tripped, falling into Willow's arms, "Ack!"

"Hello!" Willow gave him a quick kiss on the mouth, "Mwah!"

"Ah!" V-GR blushed.

Willow giggled, "Did I surprise you?"

"Mmhmm..." he smiled, "You always surprise me. That's why I love you."

"Mmm..." Willow swooned as V-GR scratched underneath her cheeks.

"At least your reaction to this never changes..."

"Okay...that's enough..." Willow let him stand, "Anyway, I guess I should get going. I have to be at-!"

 _ **"AAAAAGGGGGHHH!"**_

They both froze in shock.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO GET RID OF ALL THIS!"

"Mom." Willow realized, bolting to the ramp behind the truck.

"Why didn't you move these things to the storehouse!?" EVE shouted, "I tried to tell you again and again and again! WHY DID YOU IGNORE ME!? WHY WON'T YOU EVER LISTEN!?"

Willow noticed in horror that EVE's eyes were glowing red. They only did that when she was truly enraged. Willow shrunk back until she bumped into V-GR's shins.

WALL-E was in his box form, shaking hard enough to rattle his compactors.

"Wall-E..." EVE blinked, her eyes returning to their blue color, "I'm sorry for yelling, but I'm just so frustrated. Why did you ignore me for the millionth time?"

Willow could tell that EVE was having trouble keeping her voice even. She was surprised she hadn't pulled her gun yet.

WALL-E still couldn't respond out of fear. He very carefully lifted his eyes enough to look at EVE. Willow had been mistaken. He wasn't afraid at all.

He was ashamed.

EVE frowned, "I'm sorry...I have to go..."

"Huh?" WALL-E unfolded himself, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to live with Leah and Rose!" EVE turned around, "I'll come back when you clean up that dump we call home!"

WALL-E's optics curved down, "Dump...?"

Willow watched her mother fly away before stepping forward, "Dad!"

"W-Willow..." WALL-E's arms slid down his body until they were resting on the floor, "What have I done?"

"What happened?" Willow felt her eyes widen. The shelf full of lighters had fallen onto EVE's emergency battery - the same one she used when she was pregnant with Willow - and had broken it, the mechanics inside bleeding acid and oil. That wasn't the only thing that had broken either. Several things were either smashed, ripped, or dented. It looked like an actual dump.

 _"What have I done...?"_ WALL-E lamented.

"Dad, we can fix this!" Willow said, "Let's just get all of this out of here! Then Mom'll come back!"

"It's not that simple..." WALL-E explained, "Our relationship has been under a lot of strain lately as it is...even before she asked me to clean up..." he took a photo of EVE off a shelf with a vaseline-like lens effect; his favorite photo of his wife, "We've been spending less time together, our conversations shorter, our kisses smaller...I don't even remember what the catalyst was...we just...don't agree anymore..."

"Dad..."

"I'm sorry..." he dropped the picture on the floor, "I just need to be alone..."

He rolled away dejectedly while Willow and V-GR shared a knowing glance. This wasn't going to end well.


	2. Chapter 2

"Mom, what happened?"

Willow had followed her mom to her aunts' house, which was decorated like a cozy cottage. There was even a fireplace with a fake fire blazing warmth throughout the living room. EVE was lying on the couch with Leah relaxing in the nearby armchair, playing with a gameboy.

"Don't worry about it..." EVE massaged her visor, "It's not your problem..."

"Mom, I'm not a child anymore! I'm seventy five years old!"

EVE gave her a small tired smile, "You are, huh? Hm...okay..." she sat up higher, laying her head on the back of the couch, "Time flies, huh? Well...me and Wall-E have just been clashing lately...I don't understand it...maybe we just haven't spent enough time apart..."

"Mom! That's ridiculous! You and Dad love each other!"

"I know, Sweetheart..." EVE lay a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "I love your father so much, but I almost feel like...we no longer have the same chemistry as before..."

Willow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her life was as hectic as it could possibly be, since she liked spontaneity, but the one constant that she always counted on was the love between her parents. Even right after she first saw the light in her new robot body, her mom and dad gushed about how beautiful their family was and shared a loving kiss. That was literally her first memory outside the darkness of EVE's stasis chamber.

Was the perfect love between them being brought into question?

"Mom..." Willow didn't know what to say.

"Wil..." EVE cradled Willow's head in her hands, "I know, this is must be incredibly hard for you, but I want you to be patient with us, alright? It's okay..."

"I don't want you to split up..." Willow began to cry, "...please don't stay away from him..."

"Oh, Willow..." EVE pulled her into a hug, "Hush...it's okay...I could never leave Wall-E...you know this..."

"I'm scared..."

"I know...don't cry..."

Willow rubbed her eyes furiously, "Tell me you won't stay away for long, please?"

"Okay, I promise..." EVE replied, "It's okay...shhh..."

Willow curled up in her mom's lap, listening to her soft shushes until she could no longer sit still.

* * *

"I can't believe this..." Willow kicked a rock and it rolled over to Hal, who chirped in concern.

"Wil?"

"Dad, why do you and Mom suddenly not want to see each other?" Willow let Hal climb up her arm.

WALL-E sighed, rolling up the ramp to his truck, "It's not that simple. It's not like we suddenly dislike each other. I don't understand our drifting apart, honestly. It just kind of...happened..."

"This is so stupid! You love her!"

"I know! I love her more than anything!" WALL-E grabbed a lighter from the overflowing truck. He was about to flick it open, but then he threw it over his shoulder instead, "Ugh...it's just not the same..."

"No!" Willow picked up the lighter, "Dad!"

"Why don't you keep that?" WALL-E began shoving things out of the truck.

"Don't get rid of everything!"

"I won't!" WALL-E threw his bucket of rubber ducks, "But I don't care about any of this! I love Eve a trillion times more than everything I own!"

Willow sadly watched her father throw away many of his precious things. At least he was trying his very best.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

She began heaving piles of garbage outside, "Lemme help you!"

* * *

EVE fiddled with her wedding ring, spinning it around and then sliding it back onto her finger. Willow and V-GR were cuddled up in the armchair across from them.

"I don't know what to do..." Willow leaned back against V-GR's chest, "Do you think my parents will split up?"

"I don't think so. I've seen your mom and dad's love first-hand." V-GR hugged Willow close to him, "They can't just throw all that away."

"I know...but I'm still worried..." Willow nuzzled into V-GR's chin, "Mmm...They always loved each other... _always..."_

"Then they'll be fine." V-GR reassured, "Don't worry about it."

"At least I still have you..." Willow smiled.

"Willow, I'm not leaving your father." EVE said, "Really."

"You don't sound so sure..." Willow said.

"I am..." EVE reaffirmed, "I am..."

Willow shivered fearfully.

"Hey hey...it's okay..." V-GR kissed her on the top of her head, "They'll be fine..."

"I know..." Willow whispered, "I sure hope so..."

* * *

After two sad days living with Leah, EVE decided to move back in with WALL-E. Willow walked back with her, relieved.

"Thanks for this, Mom."

"Well, it was bound to happen." EVE shrugged, "I suppose..."

"Don't be like that! I'm sure things'll be back to normal in no time."

"If you say so..."

Willow opened the door to the truck.

WALL-E greeted his girls at the door, "Eve! Willow!"

"Wall-E..." EVE went to embrace him, but both found that they were stuck.

"Um..." WALL-E tapped his fists together nervously, "Welcome home..."

"Um..." EVE scratched the back of her head, "Thanks..."

"Huh?" Willow hurried between them, "What's wrong!? Why aren't you embracing each other!?"

They remained passive.

"Well...after our big fight, it just feels awkward..." EVE said.

"Yeah..." WALL-E replied.

"What?" Willow couldn't help a whimper, "But you two are perfect together! Dad even cleaned out the truck for you! Will you really split up!? Will I have to choose between you!?"

"Willow!" EVE and WALL-E both jumped to comfort her, "It's fine! Don't cry!"

"Please at least pretend you love each other! Please?"

They shared a glance.

"I'm sure everything will be fine..." EVE said.

"Yeah..." WALL-E agreed, "Okay..."

"Thank you..." Willow took her parents hands and laced their fingers together. EVE and WALL-E smiled warmly.

"See? Just get along until morning, alright? It'll be fine by then."


	3. Chapter 3

Willow was restless the following night. Normally, her parents slept right beside each other, sometimes with their arms out and around one another in comfort. But tonight, they slept nearly two feet apart. It was like they were only friends. Or even worse; complete strangers.

Willow shivered, sliding from her shelf and out the door. She needed to see someone else.

"V-Gr?" Willow knocked on the door of his spacepod, "V-Gr, are you awake?"

The door opened, "I am now..." he rubbed his screen.

"I'm sorry, V-Gr...I just really needed to talk to you..."

"Okay..." V-GR tiredly lifted her up and went back inside, "What is it this time?"

"My parents are so distant..." Willow lamented, "It's like they don't even know each other anymore..."

"Hm..." V-GR lay in his bed, Willow still cradled in his arms, "My parents used to do that a lot, you know..."

"They did?"

"Yeah. They tended to disagree, even though they really loved each other. Well, at first anyway." V-GR sighed, "I was maybe around eight years old when their disagreements stopped."

"Huh? Why?"

V-GR hugged her tighter, "He hit her."

Willow was appalled, "What!?"

"Yeah. He hit her hard. There was even a red mark left on her cheek." V-GR's eyes turned pink, "Around here, that would be called domestic violence."

"And he wasn't punished!?"

"No." V-GR shook his head, leaning into the pillow, "It's not illegal there."

Willow didn't respond, "My parents would never do that, right?"

"What!? No!" V-GR was quick to interject, "My dad is messed up! Yours is amazing! Listen, Wil. I think your parents are just stuck in the moment. If they look at the bigger picture - remember why they fell in love in the first place - then I'm sure their disagreement would end."

Willow nodded as she boxed up, "Yeah...do you mind if I stay the night?"

"Not at all." V-GR replied sleepily, "And don't worry about your parents, mkay? They'll be alright..."

Willow yawned, sleepily nuzzling into V-GR's hug, "Alright..."

* * *

EVE sat in a newly opened coffee shop, staring at her ring resting on the table. She couldn't believe she had let herself and her husband grow so distant, even going as far as she could take the ring off and set it on the table without feeling guilty. It was like their relationship was ending.

Ugh...such a bad feeling...

"I messed up..." WALL-E was saying back in the truck, "Even if I clean the rest of the planet, she wouldn't come back..."

"Dad!" Willow argued, pulling out her lighter and flicking it on, "You still love Mom! I know you do! Remember why you love her!?"

WALL-E was stuck on that question as he stared at the dancing flame in his daughter's grip. His hand drifted to the top of his chest, where his music player was. He hit the play button.

 _"It only...takes a moment..."_

Willow listened to the song with figurative tears in her eyes.

"She..." WALL-E smiled in warm fondness, still staring at the little fire, "She's so beautiful...her blue eyes and the curve of her frame...her flawless hands..." he looked at the picture of her again, "...she's diligent and graceful...assertive and soft-spoken...gentle and kind..." he held the picture close, "...she's...she's perfect..."

EVE meanwhile had begun to let her mind wander. She heard the tune of that song in her head, playing again and again like it was stuck on repeat. She always seemed to think of that song when she was alone. Her brain just defaulted to WALL-E when it was empty of all other thought.

 _"And that is all...that love's about..."_

Wall-E...he was brave and charming...his rust accented his age, and his scars showed his trauma...he was hard-working, sweet, adorable...so lovable for a little box...

"She saved me...after I gave her the plant, she saved me!" WALL-E began to cry, "She chose me over her directive! Just like I had for her!"

And he gave his whole being just to keep her safe. He was completely and totally selfless.

i"...to be loved...a whole...life..."/i

EVE came to a sudden realization, "What am I doing? What have I done!?" she swept up her ring and streaked off, "WALL-E!"

WALL-E blinked, "I need to get to her! I have to fix this!" WALL-E dropped the picture as he bolted, "EVE!"

Willow followed him.

EVE saw him from the sky, diving to embrace him, "Wall-E!"

"Eve!"

"Wall-E!" EVE joyfully grabbed him and spun him through the air, Willow not far off. She watched the reunion unfold with glee.

"Eve!" WALL-E sighed as EVE gave him her biggest spark in weeks, right between the eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Wall-E! I can't believe I let our fight tear us apart!" EVE cried.

"No, _I'm_ sorry." WALL-E responded, "I was so focused on the present that I forgot about the past! I had to see you before it was too late!"

"Me too..." she kissed him again, softer this time, "Go on..."

"Hm?"

"Say it." she said, "I know you want to."

WALL-E closed his eyes against her screen, "Evah...I love you..."

EVE smiled happily, "I love you too..."

The crowd around them in the street began to cheer while Willow ran to embrace them both.

"Yes!" she cried, "You see? This is how it should be!"

"You're right, Wil." EVE said, "This is how it _always_ will be..."

"We promise." WALL-E added.

V-GR knelt down next to them, having caught up, "See, Willow? They just needed a refresher."

Hal chirped excitedly as he climbed onto WALL-E's arm. Even he was happy about their make up.

"Yeah..." Willow laughed, "They did..."

A refresher on why they spent so long together at all.


End file.
